Man who threw bottle at Bolt and Co before Olympics 100m final is spared jail

Sentenced: Ashley Gill-Webb left Thames Magistrates Court after being sentenced to eight weeks community service and made to pay £1,500 in costs

The man who threw a beer bottle at competitors lining up for the men's 100m final at the 2012 Olympics has been given eight weeks of community service and been ordered to pay £1,500 costs. He was also given a curfew.

Ashley Gill-Webb was found guilty of a public order offence after he hurled abuse at Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt then threw a plastic beer bottle on to the track before the race on August 5 last year.

He has avoided a jail sentence after the court was told that he has already lost his job as a result of his actions when he managed to break into the Olympic Stadium without a ticket.

It was thought that he got into the stadium using an old ticket but it was not found on him. The court heard the 34-year-old is now struggling to make ends meet.

Gill-Webb, from South Milford, near Leeds, suffers from bipolar affective disorder. He pushed his way to the front of an exclusive seating area at the stadium and started shouting: 'Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an a***hole,' Stratford Magistrates' Court heard last month.

He then threw the plastic beer bottle as the race - which Bolt won in 9.63sec - started.

The 34-year-old was confronted by Dutch judo champion Edith Bosch, then escorted from the stadium and arrested.

According to the court reports, Gill-Webb was suffering from a manic episode at the time, with an urge to be 'involved' in the Olympics. The Crown said that, although he was unwell, he knew what he was doing.

Prosecutor Neil King described him mingling with members of the Dutch Olympic team, but his 'shouting and jostling', then throwing the bottle, led to a confrontation with Ms Bosch.

In a statement, she described how he pushed past her to get to the front of the seating.

Foolish: The bottle can be seen landing on the track yards from Usain Bolt, far left, after being thrown by Gill-Webb, circled top

Disorder: Gill-Webb threw the bottle, which can be seen bottom centre of this image, on to the track at the start of the men's 100m final

Restrained: Gill-Webb is pictured being detained by security after he threw a bottle onto the track just before the men's 100 metres final at the London 2012 Olympics

Abusive: Gill-Webb, who suffers from bipolar affective disorder, pushed his way to the front of an exclusive seating area at the stadium and started shouting at Usain Bolt

'He was shouting specifically at Usain Bolt. Things like "Usain, I want you to lose. Usain, you are bad, you are an a***hole",' she said.

'He repeated these taunts over and over - it went on and on for about two minutes.'

She saw Gill-Webb move his arm behind his head, then forwards in a throwing motion, then saw the bottle hit the track, she said.

Ms Bosch confronted him, saying 'Dude, are you crazy?'

'He was trying to walk away so I pushed him hard to stop him,' she said.

'I was angry with what he had done, which was so disrespectful.'

Punishment: As well as his community service, Gill-Webb was also given a curfew